Public Transit and Shared Mobility COVID-19 Recovery: Policy Options and Research Needs

While the COVID-19 crisis has devastated many public transit and shared mobility services, it has also exposed underlying issues in how these services are provided to society. As ridership drops and revenues decline, many public and private providers may respond by cutting service or reducing vehicle maintenance to save costs. As a result, those who depend on public transit and shared mobility services, particularly those without access to private automobiles, will experience further loss of their mobility. These transportation shifts will be further influenced by changing work-from-home policies (e.g., telework). While uncertainty remains, work-from-home will likely alter public transit and shared mobility needs and patterns, necessitating different services, operation plans, and business structures. To facilitate the recovery of both public transit and shared mobility services in the short-term and improve mobility for society over the longer term, researchers at the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies (UC ITS) and the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Executive Committee conducted a multi-phase scenario planning exercise based on the Delphi method from June to September 2020, drawing on 36 experts from across the United States. Together, the experts developed a series of policy options based on possible future scenarios across three timeframes — within 12 months, one to three years, and four to six years — to assist in addressing the short-term challenges and eventual business recovery of public transit and shared mobility services along with longer-term improvements to these industries to increase mobility for all, particularly those in marginalized communities.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.7922/G2DV1H5G
• Corporate Authors:

  University of California, Berkeley

  Institute of Transportation Studies
  McLaughlin Hall
  Berkeley, CA  United States  94720
• Authors:
  • Shaheen, Susan
  • Wong, Stephen
• Publication Date: 2021-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 14p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: COVID-19; Delphi method; Equity; Forecasting; Policy; Public transit; Recommendations; Shared mobility; Transportation disadvantaged persons
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01762894
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UC-ITS-2021-58
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 29 2021 4:26PM